Reality Check

Today I met one of my classmates from childhood that I hadn't seen in years.  Barely recognized her.  She has more diseases in her body, is on 19 medications and is significantly overweight and a smoker. She also told me about someone we know who had killed himself (or so it was thought). 

When I looked at her I realize so much of where she is at is because of life choices.  Some were hereditary.  And then I thought to myself, prolonged sinfulness does not lead people to joy-filled lives.  It just doesn't.

Thanking God tonight that he has kept me on the path of righteousness (probably at the expense of more than a few angelic, glorious interventions).

Another definition

Sin--'God, you're wrong.  And if you're right, I don't care.'

A Definition

Stubbornness is the refusal to change for the benefit of the group.

Humility

Humility is honoring the value and contribution of other (including ourselves).

Or said another way,

"In fact God has arranged the parts in the body, every one them, just as he wanted the to be...those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable...while our presentable parts need no special treatment." 

1 Cor 12:18, 22, 24l

The requests of the city

Your newspaper's headlines are actually your city's prayer requests.

Please Print and Pray--A One Month Prayer Guide

Day 1

Worship.  The heavens cry out for the Father to be worshipped.  It goes beyond three songs and prayer before service.  This includes skilled musicians seeking out the Presence of the Almighty, leading others to corporately honor Him and experience His pleasure.  Pray for worshipers to arise.

Day 2

Business transforms entire communities.  What that transformation looks like depends on the nature of the business and how that business is run.  Pray for the removal of unrighteousness business and replacing it with righteous business that blesses the people.

Day 3

A healthy social life is necessary for a community to be strong. Pray for the connection of relationships.

Day 4

Entertainment is a part of who we are, but there is a difference between entertainment that brings life and entertainment that brings distance.  Pray for righteous entertainment that brings life to the people.

Day 5

Churches are beacons of light in the community.  Their vibrancy matters.  Pray for their work, especially with children’s ministries.

Day 6

So much time is spent in schools growing up that the relationships are very influential.  Pray for a loving school system that teaches truth and supports youth.

Day 7

On the seventh day God rested.  There is often extremes of those who “rest” too much and those who work to the sacrifice of their family.  Pray for righteous rest for the people.

Day 8

A town does not need to have an ebola epidemic to have a massive health issues.  Obesity, lack of fitness and isolation can be big risk factors.  Finances also play a part in obtaining good healthcare.  Pray for the desire to pursue one’s health and the means to take care of health problems.

Day 9

Athletics often are a binding force in a community.  They can give a kid pride, teach them how to work in teams while giving the community a connecting point.   Pray that God would use sports to build up the town.

Day 10

Music opens our spirit which creates a platform for words.  Pray that God would raise up musicians who would use their music to encourage, build up and inspire.

Day 11

Artists are often hidden but their work can change history and minister life.  Pray that God would open a platform to artists to share their creation.  Pray that their art would encourage, inspire and build up those around them.

Day 12

Skilled and unskilled workers minister to the community through their services.  Pray that employees would have integrity in their work and find fulfillment in what they do.

Day 13

The Word is a foundation for all of life.  Pray that God would create a hunger for His Word.  Pray that every home would have a Bible and that God would put a yearning to regularly engage His Word.

Day 14

The governing leaders are the gateways to the city.  Pray that they will make righteous decisions that will help develop the city.

Day 15

As stewards of the land, it matters how we treat it.  Pray that the there would be desire to care for the land in our city and on our properties as well as the means to take care of them.

Day 16

Local newspapers both reflect culture and change it.  Pray for righteous reporting and that newspapers and other forms of communication would hold fast to Biblical values without compromise.

Day 17

Health care providers are trend setters in our care.  Pray that they will know how to provide and do so in righteousness, holiness and with the help of the people in mind.

Day 18

Government service ministries such as police and firefighters contribute to the community.  Pray for their wisdom and protection.

Day 19

Pray for the town’s minorities people that they would feel a place of belonging.

Day 20

Pray for families to walk in love and commitment towards one another.  Pray for the strengthening of marriages and for parents to raise their children in wisdom, truth and love. 

Day 21

The nation we live in touches the world either in good or bad ways.  Pray God’s mercy over our land and that God would use our nation to be a blessing to the world.

Day 22

Every life has seasons of the soul.  Pray for the city’s poor that God would give them courage and solutions to get back on their feet. 

Day 23

Leadership is not always about position but about people who influence.  Pray that God would raise up righteous leadership in the community, schools and government as well as in social circles.

Day 24

Pray that God would raise up initiative among the people that they would be proactive in bringing righteous change.

Day 25

Intercessors change history and shape culture.  Pray that God would raise up intercessors who would travail for the land.  Pray also that they would connect with one another.

Day 26

Pray that the gospel would be preached both in words and in action.  Pray for workers to be raised up for the harvest.

Day 27

Pray for the elderly population that they would find purpose and care.  Pray for family members to have the wisdom to know how to care for their family in the later years.

Day 28

Pray that the churches in the town would not only be united but they would work together to reach their towns for Christ.

Day 29

Pray for the Mayor and governing leaders of the town to lead with wisdom.  Pray for their spiritual protection.

Day 30

Pray that the people who have financial ability for “daily bread.”  That there would be wise and self-controlled stewardship of finances that families could be cared for and  bills could be paid on time.

Day 31

Pray for employment among the peoples, that those without jobs could obtain work and provision.

Poor man, Rich man

 From http://reformedhispanic.blogspot.com/2007_03_01_archive.html

"Having nothing--and yet possessing all things." 2 Cor. 6:10 This is a riddle the world cannot understand. A holy man cannot be a poor man. A holy man is always the richest man. The riches of a Christian have no bottom. All a saint's bags, are bottomless bags. Experience tells us that unholy men's bags, purses, coffers, and mints--may be drawn dry. But the treasury, the riches of a saint--can never be exhausted, for he possesses all things in Christ and with Christ! The Christian has the God of all--he has Him who has all. Though he has nothing in hand--yet he has all thingsin hope. A holy man is the richest man in the world, for he has the great and glorious God engaged by many thousand promises to own him, to bless him, to stand by him, to give grace and glory to him, and to withhold nothing from him that may be good for him. When wicked men brag of their great possessions and riches, a holy man may make his boast of God, and say, "God is mine! God is mine! He is my great all; He is my all in all; and therefore I am richer and a greater possessor than any wicked man in the world--yes, than all wicked men in the world put together!""

Gifting

A word from Darlene from the Lord: "I have given you the gifts you have; the ones you do NOT have are also part of my design."

Memorize the Sermon on the Mount: Light of the World (Part 7)

A Congregation in the hands of an Angry Speaker

Naivete vs. Innocence

I was at a party the other night with friends when they were talking about jello shots.  I told them I had no idea what a jello shot was and they explained it was an alcoholic concoction.  Then I was asked if I was naive.  I said no.  The response was, "I said, are you naive?"  No, I said,  "I chose righteousness."  "Are you naive?" asked this Christian man again. 

Later that night I talked to a girl who humbly admitted she was racked in student loans because she partied her first semester of college into nothingness.  She said it was because she had lived a sheltered life.  I know her parents.  They are godly people.  She went to public school and did normal things.  Except things her parents forbade.   

To call righteous choices naive and to call living in a parented home as "sheltered" is a reflection on society.  Even our church society.  Yet would I call a young man naive if he didn't rape someone?  Or if he didn't beat up his girlfriend?  Would I call a young woman naive if she didn't sleep with a married man?  Or didn't steal from a store?  Would these constitute a "sheltered" upbringing?  We would be ashamed if we or others did these things as we see them as evil.  But drinking?  Sexual looseness?  Perhaps some weed?  These are just rights of passage.  Anything less is living "naive" and "sheltered."

Perhaps that's why Jesus preached the Sermon on the Mount.  Society had reached the lowest common denominator and Jesus upped the bar.  So much that it is almost impossible to conceive of keeping these ideals.  Get angry at someone and you're in danger of hell?  Think immoral thoughts about someone and that alone is an act of adultery?

But what a wise way to go.  If we aim high, we'll leap higher.  If we aim low we'll leap over that too.  And even stumble trying to do so.

As the song says, "It's a slow fade, when you give yourself away."

You Eat what you Plant

Someone in my family:  "I lost 3 pounds...but it's probably just water weight."  A few hours later, "I exercised 40 minutes but it wasn't very good as I was trying to do 45." 

Me:  "Mother!  If I lost 3 pounds would you bash me and tell me it's just "water weight?"  Or if I exercised 40 minutes would you tell me that I was a failure because I didn't do 45?"

Person in my family:  "No!  Absolutely not.  I would never say that to you!"

Me:  "Well then?!"

Oftentimes we treat others nicer than we treat ourselves.  

I say to myself, "I feel so frustrated that people don't listen."  Or I look in the mirror and say "I need to lose a few pounds but it's so hard.  I try and it comes right back."  Then I go to work and think "Why do others have the life they wanted yet as hard as I try and go for it, I have very little of what I have dreamed about."

Yet would I tell someone I loved the same? "People don't listen to you so it's probably not worth trying very hard."  "You put a lot of effort in for not much result so maybe it's best not to work so hard."  "You really need to lose a few pounds but it's hard and it will probably just come right back."  "Everyone else will get their dreams fulfilled but you'll probably be left out and a leftover."

Would I say this to others?  As a Christian, I wouldn't ever say those things to someone!  (At least I hope I wouldn't.)   But it's what we tell ourselves.

What happens though is that thoughts become seeds.    Like this one.

If I plant this avocado seed, why do I get so frustrated when it doesn't produce peaches?  I just want peaches!   I plant the thing again and again it doesn't produce any peaches!  The blasted thing keeps making avocados!  Every.  Single.  Time.

That is until I put the seed in the ground corresponding to the fruit I want.   So yesterday I went walking.  I said out loud to myself, "I don't eat junk, I eat LIFE."  "I am self-controlled because that's what God gives his children."  "I'm a skinny person and I exercise and eat well, where I'm at now is a facade for who I really am."  "God has a hope and a future and good plans for me."  

This isn't a 'name it, claim it' practice.  This is believing the truth of His Word and speaking it over my life. 

So last night I was hungry and I knew there was this in the house:

It usually takes about 2 seconds worth of justification before a large number of those are in my mouth and tummy.  And surprisingly, with no effort or will power on my own, the part of my mind that had been told "I don't eat junk, I eat life!"  began to war with the part that says "Yum!  Dig in!"  And well, without hardly even trying, I finally got to eat some of those peaches.

Fill the Fridge

Oftentimes we tell people to repent.  And what it does is leave us/them empty:

It's not enough to empty the fridge.  Because if we only do that, we come back hungry.  And after awhile, we will eat...something.

So with every act of repentance we need filling...with the good stuff.

It's why when we come back hungry, we can begin to retrain our appetite.

Influence

Recently I made a simple video just for fun.  I posted it on YouTube.

In a matter of a couple of weeks I've had over 250 views from all over the world, over 35 countries.   Not to be too impressed because 250 views in YouTube world is nothingness.  But I am reminded again of the power of influence.  Somebody in Brunei and Saudi Arabia watched this little video I made in the middle of nowhere USA.  Everything we do has a degree of influence to a much broader reach than we realize.  It's called the Butterfly effect.  Can a butterfly flap its wings in Brazil and cause a tornado in Kansas?  In the world of quantum physics and chaos theory the answer is yes. 

So my question is how can we bring this same influence to the gospel?  What can we do to bring that same level of influence?  How can we create interest?  Some other videos I made (How to memorize the Sermon on the Mount--see "Vids for Life" tab) have garnered about 4 views.  So how do 250 people discover a video hidden among millions of videos on boiling Coke as opposed to finding videos with gospel influence?  Obviously something unique, special and radical will bring the YouTube views.  But I think what brings interest to the gospel is more important and that is the simple acts of real love.  And this has nothing to do with hits, views, tweets or posts.

I was reading a blog the other day about a woman who intentionally decided to love her neighbors--literally.  It meant bringing over extra muffins and stopping at the cranky old lady's house and being intentional.  Actually doing something.  Love creates interest.

When I reflect on my life, I see that I'm not very intentional about love.  For me it probably begins with intentional words.  I say words, some good and some not so good but rather with reason and purpose behind them.  Mostly just what comes out of my mouth.  But per the quote in the previous post, if you do what's natural there's no life.

Lord, help me to begin. 

Relationships

I saw this quote that referred to marriage, but I believe it is relevant for all relationships:

“If you do and say what is natural in a marriage, you will kill it. If you do and say what is intentional, you will thrive.” Be blessed!

Day 7: The House is Full

The house will soon be full later today to the experiment will end.  It's been so good in many ways.  One thing I have really felt this week was the words "cultivate happy."  So I want to do that.

And with reading books I still know that the Lord has said not to do so.  But TV will be a household thing.  What I have realized though is that before I watch something, I want to ask, is this cultivating "happy"?  Or am I just bored or doing something out of habit. 

On a side note, this week I went to the elders of the church and had them anoint me with oil and pray.  The last 2 days I've actually been running at about 60% strength.  That's a significant improvement over the 20-30% I have been trying to live on.  I will take it and pray and hope for much, much more.   Hope that health will become normal again.

Day 6: The Joy of the Lord

"The Joy of the Lord is our strength."  Felt this was a Scripture the Lord kept bring to mind.  I am in a desperate place for strength right now and part of the solution is to be a joy seeker.  I was reminder earlier this week that he provides us with everything "for our enjoyment."

And I think this is reflective of life.  Parents I think are happy when their kids are doing things that make them happy (things in the Lord, as opposed to immorality).  We enjoy a cat or a dog because it makes us happy when we see them happy (they wag their tail, play wildly, or purr appreciatively).  And I happen to think God is most pleased when he sees us having fun and happy. 

So what do I do that makes me happy?  As I was thinking through this the Lord said to go watch TV now.  Really?  So I did and I watched 2 shows, American Ninja Warrior and America's Got Talent.  I really enjoyed it because I am gunning for an American to finally beat the Ninja course and I enjoy the talent on the shows.  I wasn't watching something because I was bored, because it was a habit, because of anything other than the Lord wanted to give me some enjoyment.

Now I've tried to think of other things that bring enjoyment.  It's harder than I thought. 

Day 5: A Decent Day

Hope rescued the day yesterday.  Was able to push through and am still on track.

Felt good today.  Had a few challenges of working too much.  Sometimes we need to remember to enjoy life and not just work.  Lord, teach me how to have fun.

Day 4: I'll do anything

On Migraine days, I tend to do anything just to make them go away or get my mind off them.  Today even the narcotics didn't work.  This has been about the seemingly worst time to try to not do TV, books, etc...  I almost gave in and I still might.  I long for distraction from pain.

On the flip side, I found church an encouragement this morning.  We took James 5:13 and "practiced obedience."  Made me hunger for more.  Hope that was the case for others as well.

Also I was telling my pastor that I wish I could be a better writer.  He mentioned that Paul wasn't necessarily a good writer (Peter said he was "hard to understand") and yet look much Paul was used.  Encouraging word.

Day 3: A Better Day

It's amazing when you feel better how much better life goes.  Through this process of poor health I'm gaining a great deal of compassion for others who don't feel well in addition to seeing how valuable the ministry of healing can be.  I long to pray for others and see more healings.

In the meantime, today was also easier to stay away from TV, reading and such.  I did have a few moments where I wanted to flip the TV on but since I was feeling better I opened my Bible.  And what a rich study it turned out to be.  I'm going slowly through Luke, memorizing the other half as well as doing more in depth study.  I'm just now getting to Chapter 5 after how many weeks?  Been so rich though.  Highly recommend it.

I think it's also been good for my spirit to not have the "other voices" of life bouncing in my head.  Just me, the outdoors and a Bible.

What I learned today was that conditioning can be altered pretty quickly if we are willing to persevere through the hard days.  This applies to so many arenas of life.  Now if it could only apply to food.  I do have to confess I find myself turning more to junk in these days.  :/

I realized today that it has also been over a month now of not reading any book but the Bible (the TV fast began only 3 days ago).  Interesting as I look over when I did the 40 day challenge of No Books But the Bible.  I've had different results.  Since I've been on the internet more, I think my spirit isn't feeling it as much as last time.  And last time it looks like I wasn't so eager to read other books.  This time I have a long list of what I'd like to read.  Long list.  And I have all the time in the world but not the permission of the Father.   The TV will resume when the fam returns, but the books won't come back until the Father says so.